Tutor
by FlippingTheBird
Summary: Bart's failing his exams which isn't a surprise. He does want to pass them but none of the teachers are interesting enough for Bart to pay attention to. Skinners gets him a tutor who he thinks will keep Bart's attention. His tutor turns out to be none other than Sideshow Bob. Does he still want him dead? What will happen when they start to fall in love with each other?
1. Chapter 1: Failing

**A/N: If you don't like yaoi (guy x guy) or Bort (Sideshow Bob x Bart) then I suggest you leave now. Or stay. It's your choice. But I won't accept flames. I didn't force you to read this thing. This is my first Simpsons fanfic so I hope you enjoy it :) This is a Bort because personally I'm in love with the pairing. I'm hoping to make this into a couple of parts (possibly four) because there just isn't enough Bort out there. I've had this idea in my head for a while and it ****_was _****originally going to be an mpreg but I changed my mind. It was also going to be M rated but I chickened out. I was going to write this when I finished Living With the Frenemy but I sort of got a bit stressed and bored with it so I'm working on this at the same time to even everything out and to not lose interest.**

**Warning: Expect OOCness. Bart has been aged up.**

**Ages: Bart (16, nearly 17,) Lisa (14, nearly 15,) Maggie (7,) Gino (7.) I didn't add the others ages because anyone in Bart's class will be the same age as him and the others are already adults and have already matured.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Simpsons. I own this plot though.**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Failing**

Marge and Homer stared at the familiar red F that they were so used to seeing on Bart's report card. Even though their first child and only son was sixteen he still hadn't matured at all. He didn't seem to care about his grades and he didn't seem to care about what that means for his future.

"Well..." Bart said, rocking back and forth slowly on the heels of his feet. The awkward silence was getting to him and he was looking at the door longingly. "You've seen my report card... As you can see my grades haven't gone down... Well, they haven't really gone up either so... BYE!"

He legged it out of the kitchen and up to his bedroom so fast there should have been a Bart-shaped cloud left behind him. He'd learnt to outrun his father when he realised that strangling was an almost daily thing.

Marge sat down at the kitchen table, resting her head in her hands. Homer sat down and put his arms around his wife when she started to sob. Her crying was awfully loud after the long silence and seem to cut through the atmosphere. Homer winced.

"My little Barty..." she sobbed, voice breaking. Homer rubbed her back soothingly. "He's got no future," she wailed.

"We've tried everything we could think of to get his grades to improve," Homer said in a desperate attempt to comfort his wife. It didn't seem to help. "The only thing we haven't tried is locking him up in school and hope for the best."

She sobbed harder but quickly composed herself and straightened her dress when the phone rang loudly.

"H-Hello?"

Homer could hear a soft buzzing from the phone from where he was sat. He tried to heighten his senses but with no such luck.

"Today? O-Okay, Homer and I will be there soon... You want Bart to come too...? Alright. B-Bye."

She faced her husband. "Principal Skinners would like to see us... and Bart," she said. "Right now."

Homer looked miserable and grumpy. He thought Bart was in trouble.

"BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAART!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

They could hear every thud of the stairs when Bart walked down them. He peered around the kitchen door, saw his angry dad and decided to keep some distance between them.

"You call me?" He said when Homer's eye twitched.

* * *

It was quiet for a long time in Skinners office. Marge and Homer were sitting nervously. Bart was quite comfortable in the office because he was sent there about three times a day. It was starting to feel like a second home. Bart scrunched up two pieces of paper until they were as round as he could get them. He started to juggle.

"Do you know why you're here, Bart?" Skinners asked.

"Er..." Bart said, stopping juggling and trying to avoid the subject. "Because I put gum in Martin's hair?"

"No."

"Because I put gum in _Lisa's _hair?"

"No."

"Because I set a firework off in the school toilets?"

"You did _what_?!" Skinners said, a vein throbbing in his forehead. Bart ignored that.

"I read a porno magazine in class?"

"You did?" Marge squeaked in a high voice.

"I can't really remember," Bart frowned, deep in thought. "I get drunk before school sometimes."

Marge looked like she was going to cry again. "Where did you get the beer?"

"The fridge. Homer always keeps about a year's supply of it in there."

Homer smiled sheepishly at his wife.

Skinners sighed and leaned back in his chair, tapping his desk with the tips of his fingers and eyeing Bart's parents.

"He's here because of his grades."

"That was gonna be my last guess."

"Shut up, boy!"

"Anyway!" Skinners said loudly as a strong hint for everyone to shut up and listen to him. "He failed a really important English exam. And he failed and important maths exam too." He noticed a tear running down Marge's face. He also noticed that Bart noticed and the sixteen year old was looking guilty. "There will be a re-sit for those who failed it the first time around."

"I get another chance?" Bart nearly yelled, looking slightly happier.

"Yes. You do. But you need to try hard."

Bart suddenly looked miserable again. "I do try. But I still fail."

"If you paid attention you wouldn't fail."

"I do try to pay attention to the teachers but they're so _boring," _he whined.

"Would you rather have an idiot teaching you? Or a drug-addict? Someone who could harm you?"

"In all honesty, sir, they all do sound much more interesting than the teachers here."

Much to the teen's surprise, Skinners seemed to consider this.

"You'd listen to someone if they could keep your attention?"

"Most definitely."

Skinners thought hard for a long time. Bart was tempted to start juggling again but thought against it. Skinners stared him down and Bart just turned to watch Willy rake leaves outside the window. He turned back to Skinners when man clicked in front of his eyes, trying to grab his attention.

"Okay. I'll find you a tutor."

* * *

Almost three weeks later Skinners had called Bart and his parents saying he'd found a tutor for him. They all nearly danced in happiness.

On the drive to the school Bart wondered who it would be. Could it maybe be Krusty? Bart knew that was false hope because the clown was just as dumb as him. _Rainier Wolfcastle? _He thought. _Nah, his brain is the only muscle he neglects._

As he entered the office his nerves were sizzling. At first he didn't see anyone other than Skinners there.

But then he noticed the police were there. They were armed and seemingly paying careful attention to someone for once. Bart followed their gaze curiously and gasped when he saw who they were looking at. Someone he hoped to never see again...

His chaser.

His enemy.

His tutor.

Sideshow Bob.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you liked it. Review, if you like but I repeat. NO FLAMES. I've planned out this whole fanfic and I'm definitely posting it so go away if you don't like it.**

**To those of you who do like it I'm glad you did. :)**


	2. Chapter 2: What's In It for Him?

**A/N: Awesome. I had fun writing this chapter. Thank you for the reviews, I really appreciate it. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Simpsons. But I do own this plot.**

* * *

**Chapter 2: What's In It for Him?**

"ARRRRRRRGH! SIDESHOW BOB!" Said man looked quite annoyed when Bart leapt behind his mother and father out of instincts and fear. His body trembled as he peeked out from between the two to see the man glaring down at his large feet, not meeting the boy's gaze. What was he doing here? He didn't escape, that was obvious. So what was he...? Bart's eyes widened. No. He couldn't be his new tutor... could he...?

Marge was mortified that Sideshow Bob – the man who tried to kill her son! – was here to be his _tutor_! Homer looked at Sideshow Bob with faint recognition in his eyes. He had a few too many cans of Duff earlier that day and was in a calm, slightly too happy mood.

"Hey, Marge?" Homer said curiously, facing her but lazily pointing in Bob's direction. "Isn't that the guy who tried to kill Bart?"

Marge stared at him as though she couldn't believe he was seriously asking that. "YES!"

"Oooooh... hi," he said cheerily to Bob. "How are you? You never do call much nowadays do you?"

Bob gave him an expression that clearly meant 'what the fuck?!' but he quickly went back to glaring daggers at his feet. Bart now noticed that his wrists were handcuffed together as were his ankles which gave Bart a safer feeling. The man was chained up. That was comforting.

"We wanted someone who could keep his attention and teach him, not someone who wants to murder him!" Marge yelled at Skinner, clearly very angry.

"I have an explanation –"

"Are you insane?! He's my _son _and that is the man who wants to _murder _him!"

"Calm down, calm down," Chief Wiggum said to Marge. She huffed but quietened down. "Listen to what Skinners has to say."

She crossed her arms defiantly but she didn't look like she'd interrupt so Skinners started to speak.

"I chose him because even though he's... unstable, I'm sure even Bart can agree he's very intelligent. There was also the not-being-able-to-keep-Bart's-attention problem. I'm sure Bart will be listening to every single word Bob says, keeping his ears open in case Bob says something that... gives himself away if he's going to try anything."

Marge looked like she was going to scream at him.

"And what if he _does _try something?! Bart is only sixteen! He won't be able to defend himself! I don't want to come home and find my baby dead!" She cried.

"I assure you, Bart will be given the best protection," Lou said from behind Wiggum, holding up something familiar. Bart immediately realised it was a shocker, like the one they used on Bob before. He failed to mention that Bob had managed to get a hold of the remote last time.

"Bart will have the remote with him at all times. This one has a tracking device in it. If Bob tries to take it off without the code he will be electrocuted instantly. We will only remove it if Bart wants us to."

_No chance in Hell, _Bart thought bitterly.

Marge seemed to have calmed sown. Slightly.

"Okay. What's in it for him?" she asked, making everyone in the room frown in confusion.

"Huh?" Wiggum said.

"Don't act like you don't know what I mean," she nearly snarled. "I know for a fact that Bob has more money than he could use. He _clearly _doesn't _want _to tutor Bart. What are you guys going to do for him?!"

"Well," Chief Wiggum said, avoiding her eyes and awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Er... He'll be... allowed to... be free from prison... if he tutors Bart..."

There was a long stretch of silence. Bart gulped when everything that was just said sunk in.

"Are you _mad_?!" He said, trying to sound intimidating but his voice came out sounding extremely vulnerable. "You can't trust him!"

Bob shifted his position slightly and the chains clinked quietly making everyone's eyes focus on him.

"Where will be living?" Marge asked.

"With his family. His parents, his brother and his son. He will be living there when he starts tutoring Bart."

"And, exactly, how far is their home from ours?" Marge said as Homer grew bored of the scene and took great interest in a small tub of paperclips and began to make a necklace out of it.

"Quite far," Skinners assured her.

She seemed satisfied enough with that answer and decided not to push the matter.

"How many times will he be tutoring Bart?" Homer asked.

"Every day for two hours after school."

"Fine with me," Homer said, cheerily putting his paperclip necklace around his neck.

"What do _you _think, Bart?" Skinners asked.

Bob looked up at him now. Bart shuddered under his emotionless eyes.

"I will _never _trust that man!"

* * *

**A/N: I know this is very short :'( I'll try to make it longer next time.**


	3. Chapter 3: Restless Night

**A/N: Okay, I gotta get something off my chest... I had this anonymous reviewer and I hope that they are reading this right now.**

**If you're gonna flame, tell me something that I need to IMPROVE on, don't just be an ass! Go get a life!**

***Deep breath* Ever notice that you type faster when you're pissed off? Anyway, I'm sorry about that. All of the other reviews are wonderful so thank you very much :)**

**Don't like, don't read. By the way, I'm sorry for neglecting this story and only updating my other ones. I've been totally stuck with this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Simpsons.**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Restless Night**

* * *

Bart hardly slept that night. He tossed and turned, wrapped tightly in the bed sheets that were sticky with his sweat. Usually on a hot night he would open the window but now he had the news that Sideshow Bob was allowed to roam the streets he decided locking it was a better idea. Also, checking under the bed and in the closet was good measure too.

He pulled his blanket closer to him, almost like he thought of it as a shield. The wind was ripping through the trees and howling loudly and yet it still managed to be boiling hot. Bart's messy blonde hair stuck to his forehead.

How the hell could the police let such a mentally unstable and evil person out of prison? The shocking device brought little to no comfort to him. He got out of one before, he could do it again.

_I'd rather fail my exams and be a bum for the rest of my life than get killed, _he thought glumly. He considered writing out his will before realising he didn't really have anything of value to give to anyone.

He whimpered in fear and squeezed his eyes closed before opening them as wide as they would go.

He heard a loud BANG! And he screamed before slapping his hand over his mouth.

Homer opened his bedroom door.

"Shut it, Bart," he said, stretching and yawning. "That noise you heard was just me getting up to go to the toilet."

"You nearly gave me a heart-attack, you bastard old man!" Bart yelled.

"Why you little...!" Bart took that as his cue to run like mad. He made it to the bathroom and locked the door behind him quickly. He cheered up when he realised it was a lot cooler in here than in his room.

"C'mon, let me in," Homer whimpered pathetically on the other side of the door. "I need to pee."

"Nope," Bart replied. "Go piss in a bottle or something."

Homer growled but Bart heard him storm downstairs in defeat. Bart peeked out of the window and to his amusement he saw his dad peeing in Flanders garden.

He let out a very unmanly giggle as he watched this.

He splashed his face with cold water to cool the sweat on his face faster before grabbing about ten towels and laying them down in the bath. He switched off the light before he climbed into the tub and lay down. Who would've thought the bath would be somewhat... cosy?

Before he knew it he was fast asleep.

His nightmares included Sideshow Bob that night.

XxXxXBreakXxXxX

School the next day was pretty uneventful. Bart just did what he normally did. Come to school late, sit down, text Milhouse under his desk, get caught and then stare out of the window for the next few hours. He didn't see the point of trying to work. He'd probably be dead soon anyway.

"Bart," Mrs Krapappel said as he was about to leave. "Sit down."

Bart was curious as to why she told him to stay. Usually the teachers wanted him out of their sight as soon as possible. That worked _fine _according to Bart.

"Sup, Miss?" Bart questioned sitting down.

"I hear you're being tutored," she stated calmly and Bart prayed to high heavens that she didn't notice him shift uncomfortably in his chair and that his skin paled drastically.

"Yeah..." he replied. _Damn it, _he thought when his voice came out squeaky. "Do you know who they are...?"

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously but didn't question his unusual behaviour.

"No," she answered making inner Bart do cartwheels in joy. "Do you?"

"Um... No..." he lied, hoping that it sounded believable.

"Okay then," she said. "Bart...?"

"Hmm?"

"Is something bothering you?" She asked in a way that reminded Bart of his mum.

"No," he said, trying and failing to put strength and authority in his voice.

It was obvious she didn't believe him. She clicked her tongue thoughtfully but decided it wouldn't be wise to push the matter and upset her student.

"Bart, you need to work hard with this tutor, okay? Your future depends on this."

Bart was quiet for a minute as he thought about that.

"Yes, Miss."

XxXxXBreakXxXxX

"Bart, I don't think Sideshow Bob teaching you is a very good idea..." Lisa said, sounding almost hesitant. She had barged into his room about half an hour earlier. Bart had been confused and annoyed at her inviting herself into his room (it's not like he doesn't do the same to her) and had been hinting repeatedly for her to leave. His efforts had failed.

Bart snorted and led down on his bed. "You think I do?"

"Well, no," Lisa said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Look, Bart... Bob's smart and I'm not going to deny that... but maybe I could tutor you," she suggested kindly.

Bart snorted again. "You'd get the urge to murder me too. I'd rather have one psycho after me than two, you know."

Lisa forced out a soft giggle.

"Don't worry," Bart said to his sister, trying to reassure her that nothing bad would happen even though he couldn't drill that into his own head. "If he tries anything I'll shock the life out of him."

"Didn't you tell me that he figured a way out of that last time?"

"Er..."

He sucked at reassuring.

"If he hurts me I'll kick his in the balls. That should give me enough time to run away while he rolls around on the floor in agony."

Lisa shook her head at him, knowing he wasn't serious and that he was just trying to make her laugh.

"Bart," she said, picking up his mobile from the bedside table and handing it to him. "I want you to put me and Maggie on speed dial."

Bart blinked.

"Why?"

"Because I want you to keep it on you at all times. If there is even a hint that he may do something, call me at once."

"But why you? Why not Mum or Dad?"

"There's a very high chance that if you call Dad he'll be drunk and face-down in the gutter. Mum either won't believe you if you say you're in trouble or will be so panicky she won't be able to think straight. Maggie and I will try to think as logically as possible and come up with a plan quickly," she explained.

"You won't be able to get to me on time," Bart pointed out.

"That's not what I was thinking of doing," Lisa said. "I'd help you get away over the phone. I'd tell you what to do."

Bart thought hard about it. In all honesty it did make him feel slightly more relaxed about the situation. Slightly.

"If you and Maggie don't get hurt then you've got yourself a deal."

They shaked hands.

* * *

**A/N: I'm so sorry it's this short. Don't stomp on me. I'll try to update in about three weeks, okay. I've got exams so I'm updating quite slow.**

**XxXPshycoPandaXxX: Glad you think so :) And there definitely should be more Bort in the world, shouldn't there.**

**amber-sky-18: I'll continue it, I swear. Updates are kind of slow right now but I WILL finish it.**

**Sweet20s12: two reviews? I feel special :) Yeah, I feel sorry for Bart too. He can't catch a break.**

**aliensexorgy: You've only just got into this pairing. *Moves over* Welcome, my sister... or brother... :)**

**SomebodyWhoWrites: Thank a lot :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Get Out of Jail Free Card

**A/N: Next chapter...! Hoorah! Sideshow Bob's time in prison. Thank you to xJobozx, SomebodyWhoWrites, m1ss-Chesire Cat, blueeyedprincess100, Randomology and Sweet20s12 for reviewing the last chapter :D And also thank you to those who reviewed the two chapters before that.**

**Note: If you notice the relationship between Bob and his family is a bit... unbalanced? No, that's not the word I was looking for but if you're wondering why it's because Bob constantly being in and out of prison has put some strain on their relationship.**

**_Italics_**** are flashbacks and thoughts.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Simpsons.**

**Chapter 4: Get Out of Jail Free Card**

_"You have a visitor, Mr Terwilliger."_

_Bob's head lifted slowly from where he was lying face down on the cold, hard cell floor. He had a bed, of course, but Springfield was alarmingly hot when it was the middle of summer which was why he – and his cell-mate, Snake – was clinging almost desperately to the cool welcoming floor._

_No one in prison was ever visited this time of year which was why Bob was very surprised to hear that he had a visitor. Who would go all the way to the prison in such heat? It surely couldn't be his ex-wife and Bob was sure of that. She had custody of Gino now so it definitely couldn't be him. She liked to make Bob's life a misery and she knew how much the ex-clown loved his son so she always made sure that they hardly ever saw each other. She was a bitch._

_So Sideshow Bob was thoroughly surprised when the guards led him to the visiting room and the first person he saw was his son. He then realized that he was not alone. Bob's brother and mother were there too, standing quite close to the boy as though shielding him from the other criminals in the room._

_"Gino..." Bob said so quietly it was almost a whisper. He hadn't spoken to his son in so long. He was pleased when the young boy smiled up at him._

_"Hi, Daddy."_

_"Hello, son."_

_Sideshow Bob took his seat opposite Gino, Cecil and his mum._

_"Hello, mother, Cecil," he greeted, nodding at each of them in turn. His mother smiled at him and Cecil just nodded back. "Does Francesca know you have Gino?"_

_Sideshow Bob didn't have to be a genius – even though he was one - to know that by the look on his family's faces that he had brought up an uncomfortable subject. Something was wrong._

_"What happened? You didn't kidnap him did you? When she gets her hands on you she'll make sure she'll get her revenge. She may even get a restraining order put on you. I'll never see Gino again!"_

_"Relax, brother," Cecil ordered sharply. "She doesn't know and never will. She can't even voice an objection to it."_

_Sideshow Bob raised a dark red eyebrow._

_"And _why _can't she, might I ask?"_

_"She's dead," his mother told him bluntly. Bob's mouth opened in an 'o' of astonishment. It seemed like a long time before it sunk in._

_"What happened?" He choked out. He'd stopped loving Francesca _long _before their divorce but it still came as a shock. Besides Bart and Krusty, Francesca was the only other person that Bob considered killing. However, he wasn't able to do it because of Gino. Gino loved his mother so much and Bob couldn't bear the thought of putting Gino through _any _emotional pain._

_"Well," his mother began, thinking very carefully about how she would word what she was about to say before getting a defeated look and glancing at Cecil. _

_"Cecil, dearie, would you please take Gino somewhere else please?"_

_Cecil nodded. "Certainly, mother." He took Gino by his hand and led him away and out of the room._

_"Okay, son," his mother began with a serious face. "You're not a child and you know how to cope with death. You've even tried to cause a few of them. So I'm going to give it to you straight." She took a deep breath. "Her life's been going downhill for a while now. She had two more children with another man" – Bob raised his eyebrows in mild surprise – "and she has been taking drugs since the birth of the youngest. She cheated on her boyfriend so he abandoned her and took the kids with him. She became desperate for money and... _Sold _herself for money. She even tried to force your father and I to _buy _Gino from her... that disgraceful excuse for a mother," Bob watched his mother's eyes narrow in rage before she continued._

_"She only wanted money so she could buy more drugs. She and her boyfriend – a different one – tried to rob a shopkeeper for money. They were going to kill him. He shot them in panic."_

_Sideshow Bob made an expression that was a mixture of disgust and a sneer. After everything Francesca had done to him while they were still married, let's just say, getting shot was a very kind way out for her._

_"When?" Bob asked with mild curiosity._

_"About a year and a half ago," his mother told him quietly. There was a very long, awkward silence._

_"And _why _are you only telling me this news now?"_

_"Would you have cared any more if I _had _told you then?"_

_"Absolutely not," Bob said. "But I still want to know why you didn't tell me."_

_"Gino told us not to." _

_Sideshow Bob let his mind wander as he thought about the reasons why his son would not want him to know something so serious. He didn't have to wonder for too long because his mother spoke up again and answered the question that Bob was curious about._

_"Gino said it was because he didn't want you to see him upset. Because he knew how much you hated her. He was afraid it would... anger you."_

_Bob was speechless. How could his own son think that he could ever get angry at him? There were only a few people he had ever been truly angry with, so much that e wanted their lives to end. Those people were Bart Simpson, – obviously – Krusty the Clown and Francesca. _

_Bob was silent for a few minutes. The more he thought about it the more he understood why Gino did not want to anger him. Ever since the boy had been born he had been raised with two murderous parents and Bob knew that he got ticked off easily. He had missed out on so much of Gino's life and when he was released from prison his only goal was to kill Bart and he never even considered spending a lot of time with Gino._

_And that had obviously affected the young boy._

_It was time for change._

_"Mother, leave and send Gino in here." The way Bob spoke made it clear it was not a request but an order. His mother recognised the tone but still fought against it._

_"Son, I don't thi –"_

_"He is my son and I only want a word with him. I assure you that I will not raise my voice to him or upset him."_

_His mother bit her lip as she considered his words and she looked torn between arguing with him and just doing what he said. Finally, she sighed in defeat and stood, smoothing out her – rather expensive looking – coat before addressing her eldest son again._

_"I will tell Cecil to bring him in."_

_"Thank you."_

_She was true to her word and shortly after her leaving the room Bob saw Cecil strolling in with Gino clinging tightly to his hand and glancing at all of the other prisoners with a look that almost looked like fear. That was until he saw his father again and a grin spread across his face and he ran over to him._

_"Daddy! You wanted to see me?"_

_Bob nodded before looking up at Cecil and giving him a look that clearly meant 'why are you still standing there? Get out of my sight.' Cecil frowned but left the room._

_"Gino, it has been an awfully long time since the last time I saw you. I would like to know what it is you've been doing for the past year."_

_"Oh," Gino said, not expecting his dad to be questioning him about what he'd gotten up to. What he _had _been expecting was for his dad to tell him that the next time he was released from prison he would get his revenge on Bart Simpson once and for all._

_"Well... I... um..."_

_"Tell me where you are living at the moment and what school you're attending," Bob said helpfully._

_"Well, I'm living with Grandpa and Nanny at the moment in their house. The live in Springfield now so that it would be a lot easier to see you."_

_"Oh?" Bob was quite surprised to hear this news. He'd lost count of how many times he'd been in jail his parents had never moved from their home – which was quite a long way away from Springfield – to see him before. "Why did they move?"_

_Gino smiled sweetly. "I asked them if we could live closer to you so I could visit you more often, Daddy."_

_Bob's heart filled with warmth at his son's words. It was nice feeling for him. He'd grown quite lonely with only the other prisoners for company._

_"School? You don't attend Springfield Elementary do you?"_

_"Of course not. I attend a private school."_

_"Ah. Good."_

_Another silence stretched out for a moment until Bob finally gained the courage to ask something he'd desperately wanted to know._

_"Gino... Am I a bad father?"_

_Gino's eyebrows raised only a fraction but Bob did not miss it. Neither did he miss the fact that Gino was avoiding his eyes completely. _

_"Um... Why would you ask me a question like that?"_

_"Don't beat around the bush answering my question, Gino. Simply answer me. Also, if you lie to me no good will come of it. I repeat my question. Am I a bad father?"_

_Gino appeared to be very miserable about having to answer such a question. But because it was his dad asking, the only parent he had left and the person he loved the most, he knew he should answer truthfully._

_"... Yes."_

**XxXxX**

**_2 years later... _**

_"Robert Terwilliger, we'd like to make you an offer."_

_Sideshow Bob groaned. When he'd been told that he'd have a visitor he expected it to be Gino. So he was not pleased at all when he was led to Chief Wiggum and his two loyal followers._

_"Have you considered _my _offer," Bob growled moodily. He'd been trying to get in touch with anyone who held any authority in Springfield and he, of course, had spoken to Chief Wiggum countless times before, begging him to let him out of prison so he could spend more time with his family. He'd told them he was a changed man._

_And this time he really was. _

_Sure, Bob still hated Bart Simpson and Krusty but he loved his son and when Gino had confirmed that Bob was a bad dad he had vowed to change that. And so far things were going rather nicely. There was progress._

_"Actually, Mr Terwilliger, we have."_

_That caught Bob's attention. Had he heard them correctly?_

_"However, you're not getting out of here for free. You have to co-operate with us first."_

_Bob narrowed his eyes suspiciously but decided he'd do anything in order to spend more time with his family, or, more specifically, his son._

_"Go on."_

_"There are examinations at Springfield Secondary school – which has been added onto Springfield Elementary because the nearest secondary school was knocked down about a year ago - this year and one student is failing drastically. He has the brains to pass but there's just no effort coming from him."_

_"Why do _I _need to know this? It's none of my concern really, is it?"_

_"Well... actually... You will be freed from jail if you agree to tutor him."_

_Bob briefly thought about whether he should agree but he already knew he was going to do whatever they wanted him to. It was his get out of jail free card and Bob wasn't going to let an opportunity like this fly out of the window._

_"Okay," he told them. "I'll tutor him. But just out of curiosity who is the boy I'll be tutoring?"_

_Chief Wiggum scratched the back of his head nervously and rocked on his feet. The lack of response and the awkward silence told Bob all that he needed to know._

_"It's... It's Bart Simpson, isn't it?"_

**XxXxX**

The first thing that registered in Bart's mind when he woke up was that the sun was beaming down and shining through his bedroom window. Bart groaned and threw his bed-covers over his head, somehow finding it cooler under the sheets where he was protected from the heat. The second thing that he realised was that it was a school day which would have instantly made his good mood – if he was _in _a good mood, that is – disappear in an instance.

"BART! LISA! MAGGIE! BREAKFAST!" His mother shouted loudly from the bottom of the stairs.

Bart moaned sleepily before clumsily peeling the sheets away from where they were tangled around his legs. After that, he rolled over, fell out of the bed and landed face-down on the floor with a loud _THUMP! _And a pained "_Urgh..."_

"HURRY OR YOU'LL BE LATE FOR SCHOOL!"

"Coming..." Bart called weakly from where he was laying on the floor before lazily rising from the ground and stumbling – still half asleep – out of his bedroom.

He and Maggie – who had turned seven only a few weeks previously – bumped into each other in the hallway and she smiled warmly at her older brother. Bart was certain he detected a bit of sympathy from her intelligent eyes.

"Hey," they said in unison before Maggie went on to say, "So... Sideshow Bob is tutoring you tomorrow after school, right?"

Bart nodded. "Right," he confirmed grimly.

"Lisa told me what you and her were talking about If you can't get a hold of her then call me, okay?"

"Sure," he lied. The day he would put Maggie's life in danger was the day when the Chief Wiggum lost ten pounds, Barney quit drinking and Homer stopped strangling him.

So, in other words it was never going to happen.

She smiled once more before patting him gently on the arm and they both stomped loudly down the old stairs.

After quietly crunching on a piece of golden-brown toast he went upstairs to brush his teeth and get into a bright orange T-shirt and a pair of blue three-quarter jeans – for he had long since outgrown shorts. He shoved his feet into some battered old trainers he had lying under his bed and brushed his soft blonde hair – that was slightly longer than it was when he a child – until he looked fairly presentable.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror for a few moments and for the first time he realised how much he had changed since he was ten. He was a bit taller, although now he was only at an average height for someone his age and he was a lot thinner. His eyes were quite big and dark blue.

He grumpily made his way out of the house and started walking to school with Lisa and Maggie. They no longer took the bus anymore because Otto had been fired three years earlier because he was suspected of selling drugs to the school students. Although he had been proved innocent, Skinners still didn't want him working at the school just in case. Bart thought it was very unfair because a lot of the students – including him – knew that Otto had stopped taking drugs ages ago and was a changed man. No one knew what had become of Otto since then. No one saw him.

Bart sighed, wondering why he was thinking of things that were only going to make him more depressed than he already was. Instead he looked up at the clouds and tried to identify what each shape looked like. When one of them resembled a palm tree and that reminded him of Sideshow Bob's hair he paled drastically and stared at his feet the rest of the way to school.

When he got to school he walked into the classroom – on time for once – and sat down at the back with Milhouse.

Amazingly, they had stayed friends over the years. When Bart was younger he didn't think he'd be friends with the boy for very long. Firstly because he didn't like him very much and secondly because Bart liked having someone around who could easily be bullied into doing whatever he wanted.

Not a very healthy starting point for a friendship.

But on one cold winter night Bart heard a soft tapping sound on his window. Bart, only being twelve at the time had done the first thing that he had thought of. He threw the sheets over his head and screamed like a little girl. But after gaining some courage and after the tapping had got rather annoying, Bart saw it was just pebbles that were hitting the window. That obviously meant that someone was trying to get his attention.

Hesitantly, he had climbed out of bed and made his way to the window frame that was shaking violently in the wind. Slowly he peered out of the window and he gasped quietly at what he had seen.

Bart had never been able to shake away the image of Milhouse standing outside of his house, glasses cracked, body trembling and eyes leaking salty tears.

Bart remembered how he had run down the stairs as fast as he could and how he had thrown open the front door in panic. Milhouse had seemed to be unable to move. Whether it was because he hadn't seen Bart through his destroyed glasses or if he had been in shock Bart didn't know. So he had cautiously approached him, taken his cold and sweaty hand and guided him into the house.

When Bart asked him what had happened Milhouse just slowly shook his head and muttered one word in a croaky voice.

"_Dead."_

Bart had let him stay over that night. He had grabbed his blanket from upstairs and had returned to the living room. He slept on one end of the sofa and Milhouse slept on the other end. For the first time, Bart didn't complain about Milhouse annoying him. He didn't mind that he had been woken up at such a late hour and he didn't care that Milhouse twitched and kicked him all night.

The next morning Bart asked who had died. Milhouse told him that it was his mother and that she had died of a heart attack. Bart had nodded silently.

And when the rest of Bart's family awoken and had came downstairs the young blonde boy had been amazed at how brave Milhouse had acted in front of them. He didn't cry and he apologised to them that he had disturbed them. Over the weeks following that event Bart noticed how little emotions Milhouse displayed to anyone other than him. Milhouse didn't want sympathy or to be the centre of attention.

Bart had realised that Milhouse wasn't some annoying idiot who'd follow him around and do whatever he say. He was a brave boy and not an emotionless doll. He was brilliant at handling something so bad like losing a parent. And he most certainly wasn't pathetic.

That was when Bart had finally started admiring and respecting his blue-haired friend.

Nelson, who was also a friend of Bart's, was the next that Bart truly respected. His 'friends' had all dropped out of school or had just mooched every day. However, after school they would all be lurking in the shadows outside the building, waiting for their prey: the students.

It just so happens that on one of these days Lisa and Maggie were the victims. Bart would've done his best to protect his younger siblings. He loved them. But unfortunately on that day he was at home suffering with the flu. The bullies were saying cruel things to Lisa and Maggie, about their father, mother and about them. Then, as the bullies were about to move in on them and attack, Nelson came over.

He didn't fight.

He stood in front of them and told them to "pick on me instead." And they did. They punched him, they kicked him and they even added the occasional knee to the face here and there. He still didn't fight back. Lisa and Maggie had the chance to get away.

When his sisters had come home that day and told him Bart had immediately dragged himself off the sofa and made his way to the phone. He thanked Nelson for everything. The next day at school Nelson sat next to Bart at lunch. Bart noticed that his one eye was swollen shut, he had purple bruises covering almost every inch of his pale skin and that he was limping as though he had twisted his ankle. Bart let him sit there and Nelson hadn't moved since.

After this Bart started noticing the good qualities in the people around him and soon collected a small group of friends. This group was made up of Bart (obviously), Milhouse, Nelson, Sherri, Terri and Martin. Milhouse was now dating Sherri – having long since given up on Lisa – and Martin was trying to get the courage to ask Terri out. They were an odd combination of people to put together but the group were very close and they just... _worked_.

"BART!" Bart was pulled away from his thought when he heard the sound of a book slamming on a desk. He jumped before staring blankly at whoever made the noise, already having a good idea of who it was. And sure enough Mrs Krapappel was standing there at the front of the class with a tatty looking book in her hand. No surprises there.

"Bart, I've been asking you the same question five times. Do not day dream in my class. Do yuo even know what question I asked you?"

Bart mentally slammed his head onto the desk. "Er... No...?"

His teacher face-palmed with a groan of frustration. "Bart... try and listen now, kay?"

**XxXxX**

"Daddy," Gino spoke softly to his dad who was sitting next to him on a hard wooden bench. Bob had taken his son to the small, local park that was near the home they lived in with the rest of their family. "Why did you bring me to the park?"

Truth was, Sideshow Bob had no idea why he wanted to have a conversation with his son in the park when they could have easily had one in the comfort of their home. However, this was a serious issue he needed to talk to him about and he had no idea how the seven-year-old would react to it. He really didn't want his family nosing into the conversation anyway. So Bob had taken Gino to the – not too crowded – park, bringing only Cecil along. And right now Cecil was queuing outside of an ice-cream van to get Gino an ice-lolly.

"Son, starting tomorrow I will be tutoring Bart Simpson – yes, _that _Bart Simpson – for his upcoming re-sit exams." Bob was quiet for a whole two minutes before daring to take a peek at his seven-year-old son. The child's eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open. "... Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What the hell?!"

Bob frowned. "Son, it's not polite to speak to someone like that. A simple 'what' would have been just fine, thank you."

"But... I just... How the... _Huh!_"

Bob sighed and ran a hand through his wild hair with a slight bit of frustration. "I don't like it either, kiddo."

"Don't kill him," Gino squeaked. Bob looked at his son with an expression on his face that was similar to the look of someone who was puzzled. Gino saw that look and decided to explain. "Daddy, you've just been released from prison not very long ago. I used to hate Bart just as much as you do but no matter what grudge you hold against him I don't see any point in keeping it alive. If you _do _succeed in killing him or if you don't you're just going to go straight back to prison. And this time you won't be as lucky to get out. You'll die there."

Bob stared at him son in surprise for about twenty seconds before staring straight in front of him with an emotionless expression. He stayed like that and didn't say a word as Cecil returned and they walked home in silence. But because he wasn't talking meant that he was thinking twice as hard as usual.

By the time the sun had set he had made his decision.

He wouldn't kill Bart Simpson.

Did he still want him dead? Yes.

Did he still hate him? Absolutely yes.

But was it worth spending the rest of his life in a cell just to get revenge? Definitely not.

The first time Bob had went to prison he had cared, obviously. He'd been furious. But if he went back there now he'd not only do further damage to himself, he'd also damage his son. That would be unforgivable.

So, no matter how much he hated Bart and wanted to strangle him he just wouldn't be able to do it.

Bob groaned and turned off his bedside lamp. He dreaded tomorrow.

**A/N: Da da da da! SO here is chapter four. And it's the longest yet... I think. I'M SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE AND YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE ANGRY WITH ME! I'll have more time to update soon hopefully. Reviews and constructive criticism is fine but no flames. I know this is not very loving at the moment but they WILL fall in love. I promise.**


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